May 27, 2026
While FIFA has recognised the best player at every tournament since the World Cup’s inception in 1930, the official Golden Ball award—co-sponsored by Adidas and France Football—was formally introduced at the 1982 tournament in Spain.
Since then, the award has evolved into the ultimate individual honour on the international stage. Interestingly, winning it doesn’t guarantee lifting the actual trophy; in fact, a recurring trend has seen the Golden Ball go to a player from the runner-up or third-placed team.
Here is the complete history of every official FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner since 1982.
The inaugural official Golden Ball went to a man who enjoyed arguably the most dramatic redemption arc in football history. After returning from a suspension just before the tournament, Rossi started slowly but caught fire in the knockout stages. He scored a legendary hat-trick against a heavily favoured Brazil, two goals in the semi-final against Poland, and the opener in the final against West Germany. Rossi swept the tournament, taking home the Golden Ball, the Golden Boot (6 goals), and the World Cup trophy.
